Stay With Me
by bpersinger0313
Summary: Katniss and Peeta survived the 74th Hunger Games, and are about to depart for the Victor's Tour. Just when Katniss thinks Peeta gives up the thought of ever having a life with her, life throws in an unexpected twist to bring them closer than ever. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**I do not in any way own any of the characters of the Hunger Games trilogy. Feedback is strongly encouraged. The only way to get better is realize and accept your mistakes. This is my first piece of work in a long time, and I know that I am definitely out of practice. I hope you enjoy. Thank you.**

**Chapter 1**

Her prep team had just arrived in Victor's Village, eager to have the opportunity to once again be in the presence of one of the winners of the 74th Hunger Games, the Capital's darling girl, Katniss Everdeen. Katniss, on the other hand, was less than thrilled at the meaning of their visit. The Victor's Tour. The spotlight would be back on Katniss and Peeta and their epic love story. A story of two young people, willing to pay the ultimate price to be with each other for all of eternity. _Such a load of crap,_ Katniss thought to herself as her entire body was stripped, waxed, and polished.

Finally, after the initial torture was finished, Katniss was drawn a luxurious bath, where she was allotted a whopping twenty minutes to collect her thoughts before the big moment_. Before I will once again be plucked out of my home, and thrown on the stage like some prized hog._ She let herself sink deeper into the perfumed water, toying with one of the hundred rose petals that had been hastily tossed into the tub. The petals were as soft as silk, and let off the scent of one million roses. They mimicked the exact petals that Katniss had seen Peeta create on a special cake he had been working on. He would never tell Katniss what or who the cake was for. She had only known it to be the most beautiful icing job that Peeta had ever done.

Peeta kept a lot of things from Katniss after the games. She felt as if he thought she had died in the arena, along with their innocence. If it hadn't been for him sneaking into her room nearly every single night, Katniss would have believed he truly did forget all about her. At first, they would just sit up and talk about their shared hatred of what the games had done to them, and wondering who, out of District 12, would be chosen to perform in the 75th Hunger Games. Then, as the reaping for the games drew closer, both the victors would get bone-chilling nightmares, which would turn into the pair comforting each other, and finally, sex.

Things had changed for Katniss after the games. She saw Peeta in a different light. She no longer saw the terrified boy standing next to her at their reaping. She saw a man. A sad, but perfect man. They confided in each other. They shared a connection that Katniss would never be able to have with anyone else, and Katniss truly loved him for it. But that wasn't the only reason she had feelings for him. He was selfless, and effortlessly so. So much that it annoyed Katniss. He would hand out cookies to kids after they would get out of school. He slipped their drunken mentor Haymitch booze when everyone else refused to, due to alcohol becoming nearly as precious and elusive as a diamond.

_He's perfect. And there is no way he will ever actually want to be with me. Not after he saw how I acted during the games. And definitely not after I broke his heart after he confessed he had feelings for me in the cave. _Katniss' thoughts were interrupted by the bathroom door being thrust open.

"Cinna has arrived, darling!"


	2. Chapter 2

Cinna brought his A-game, clothing Katniss in an extravagant outfit that the fashion-hungry citizens of the Capitol would die for, but it was still comfortable enough that Katniss could still breathe and touch her toes. She glanced at her appearance in the mirror, and she was taken aback at the incredible job that Cinna and her prep team pulled off. Her face was nearly unrecognizable. Her tanned skin was coated with a cream that made it appear lighter and smooth. A slight dab of blush at her cheekbones made her facial features seem fuller, as if she had actually been eating properly since the games. The deep circles under her grey eyes vanished, but the dull look of sleep deprivation still lingered in her iris's. _I'm still me. I'm still me… _

Katniss' mother appeared in the doorway, eying her daughter over in complete awe. Tears started to trail down her face, as she took her place behind Katniss, who was still perched in her chair in front of the mirror. Without a word, she began gently pulling a brush through Katniss' thick mane. Once all of the tangles were worked out, she began to braid. Katniss was frozen to her seat. She had seen her mother in more pain that any one person should be able to bare, but she had never seen her cry. Not when her dad was killed in the mines, not when Prim's name was called out at the reaping, and certainly not when Katniss was whisked away to face a nearly certain death in the Hunger Games.

"You look stunning," She said, still twisting and taming Katniss' long, dark tresses. Katniss awkwardly nodded in acknowledgment. She was never one for compliments, not that she earned so many before the games made her famous. The only regular compliment she received was for her hunting abilities, and even then, she believed that people were just being biased, seeing as she was the one keeping food on their tables.

When her mother finished pinning the final braid into place, she placed her hands on her daughter's thin shoulders. Katniss placed a hand on top of her mother's, showing a rare moment of affection toward the woman that had abandoned her and Prim. After nearly losing Peeta in the games after he was injured by Cato, Katniss began to understand her mother a bit more. Losing the man you love would be unbearable, and when Katniss, herself was faced with the possibility of life without Peeta, she chose to die with him.

"I never thanked you, Katniss."

"For what?" She asked curiously, her eyes darting up to meet her mother's baby blues.

"For what you did at the reaping. For volunteering in place of Prim," She said, the tears that she had gained control of while she was styling Katniss' hair returned at full force. "I am a horrible mother for saying this, but I am so happy you took her place. Not that I love you any less, I love you both the same, but I just knew that you would be the one to stand a chance in the arena. You're the fighter, Katniss. You have courage that I can't even imagine. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

Katniss curtly nodded again. She stood, turning to face her mother. She wrapped her arms around her, consoling her as she wept into the Cinna-approved outfit.

"You're my fighter, Katniss. And I am so unbelievably proud of you."


	3. Chapter 3

Effie burst into the room, clad in one of the most ridiculous outfits Katniss had ever seen. She was forced to bite back her laughter, knowing how easily Effie's pride was wounded when it came to her look. She began thrusting notecards at Katniss, briefly explaining the purpose of each one, and adding in her thoughts on how Katniss should deliver each of the lines. Effie had always been on top of her preparation for each and every event during the games, and Katniss was grateful for her guidance, but it seemed as though no matter how many times Effie had tried to drill the pre-written lines into her head, they vanished without a trace when the cameras were rolling.

"Posture, Katniss! You simply look barbaric trudging around with your knuckles dragging the ground. How many times do we have to go over this? Shoulders back, chin up, and smile, darling," Effie nagged. _Barbaric? Last I heard, we barbarians weren't the ones tossing children into an arena to fight to the death._ Katniss cracked a small smile in attempts to calm Effie, who began pacing nervously.

"The cameras will be here any second, and you still haven't the first clue of what you are going to say, do you? Oh well. If in all the time I have known you, you have definitely proven one thing. Spontaneity is your specialty." Katniss buried her face in her hands. She tried to focus on anything other than the arrival of the cameras. Prim's cat, Buttercup darted into the room, and leapt onto the vanity Katniss had been occupying. The stupid cat had always hated Katniss, and the feelings were quite mutual, but if Prim was happy, Katniss was happy. Buttercup's eyes followed the brightly dyed feathers adorned on Effie's dress. Before Katniss could bat him away, the cat had made his move, and was now very firmly latched onto Effie's skirts.

"What in the world!?" Effie bellowed, trying to kick Buttercup away from her. He continued to claw and chomp down on the many feathers around him, relishing in his new play toy. Katniss felt like rolling on the floor, dying from laughter, but came to her friend's aid instead. With great effort, she was able to detach Buttercup's claws from Effie's dress with minimal damage to the skirt.

"This is exactly what I need right now! A fashion emergency moments away from your big moment. Oh, this whole day has just been destined to be awful, right from the start!" Effie huffed, scowling at her new, furry nemesis. Buttercup simply licked his lips.

"Well, I still think he likes you more than me," Katniss stated with a laugh. Effie spun to face her.

"Yes, Katniss. Because that is what I am searching for in life. A cat's affection. Now, I would appreciate it if you would do me a favor, and keep that mongrel away from me!"


End file.
